NMMU sets up interim student leadership structure

The Fees Must Fall protests in the last term of the 2016 academic year meant the annual Student Representative Council (SRC) elections at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University could not be held.

This essentially laid bare some inadequacies within the SRC Constitution in that it does not anticipate a situation where elections cannot be held for any reason. It does not have the necessary guidelines to deal with an extension of an existing SRC term, nor make provision for interim arrangements should elections not be held.

Aspects of the SRC Constitution have previously come under dispute and, further to that, some students expressed a keenness in making proposals that need to be incorporated into the constitution.

There was therefore a general sense that the University needed to review the SRC Constitution, with the recent development rendering this process more urgent.

While the review process in under way, the NMMU Council granted approval for the establishment of an interim structure for 2017. This structure will oversee all student governance functions, similar to the SRC.

A temporary interim structure has been established to hold the fort while the interim SRC is being organised.

The interim SRC will be made up of a core of ten students, eight of which will be nominated by the four recognised student political societies on campus. The other two members will be students who meet the set selection criteria – which includes good academic performance and leadership experience.

The University’s Student Governance and Development (SGD) Office this week opened up the application process for qualifying students to serve on the two other members’ positions in the interim SRC structure this year, with applications closing on Friday, 27 January 2017.

To be able to serve on the interim SRC, a student must:

Have passed at least 50% + 1 modules in 2016, proof of which will be contained in the academic record to accompany the application

Be continuously registered for at least 5 modules for 2017, except where less modules are required for completion of studies

Have proven leadership skills, proof of which should be contained in the accompanying portfolio of evidence

Have not been found guilty of misconduct for any serious offences as stipulated in the student disciplinary code or have any pending cases by the legal office for 2016

Have no membership affiliation to any student political society on campus

Have no intention of contesting the 2018 Student Governance elections

The interim SRC must perform the duties and functions allocated to them as determined in the terms of reference, while formally and otherwise reporting consistently to the Student Governance Office.

The interim SRC’s term will not exceed 10 months and will be dissolved once the new SRC Constitution has been adopted by Council and successful elections held in accordance with the revised constitution.